前苏联共合国乔治亚这一阵子流行用水蛭治疗疾病,以往欧洲人会用水蛭治疗痔疮,乔治亚人把这项疗法发扬光大,用来治疗其他疾病。 # y) S1 s# O0 r 1 A9 t; F0 u. N8 l6 ]' y 乔治亚很多诊所都提供水蛭疗法,病人得先跟诊所买一只水蛭,更年期妇女先把水蛭放在脖子上,经过一、二十分钟,水蛭吸完血,身体膨胀4倍,就可以取下,接着医师再把另外2只水蛭放在这名妇女上下牙龈上,等吸完血再取出,医师在患者伤口上贴上绷带,就算完成治疗。接受过治疗的妇女说,她们在更年期会出现的潮红和盗汗都有明显改善。, t3 O) e6 K B
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另外,有一些高血压或是经常性头痛病人,也会用水蛭疗法降低血压,或是治疗头痛。一名医师说,不但乔治亚人用水蛭治病,乌克兰、波兰、甚至德国,也有不少人接受这种疗法。) W( a R2 b8 N2 ]2 M
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 5 z9 z$ d! |( K1 ]( M% ^rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de$ R9 i A/ T1 b0 l1 R+ \: J
Leeches have been used in medicine for thousands of years. By attaching themselves to the body, and sucking blood from a patient, they were thought to bring health benefits. % G5 a1 Z9 F" j# t人在德国 社区 ( y% ^. k6 \3 UThe idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. / d; Y2 h9 x) {3 m" p C! \人在德国 社区 / g; n+ J- F; b8 ^( PThat idea fell out of fashion during the 20th century, with the discovery of modern drugs. But today, as interest in traditional medicine grows, they are making a comeback - particularly in the former Soviet State of Georgia.人在德国 社区5 h! h" R% } N8 c
3 q6 x( P/ F- b2 b' Urs238848.rs.hosteurope.deDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.